Page 15 of Choosing the Chief

“You are good. You know, if I knew you could be this attentive and kind for a long period of time, we may have become more than friends way before now.”

I panic. What is she trying to say? That we are more than friends now? “ We are still just friends. Friends that have been through hell and back together.” I take out my phone and start to make calls to Atlanta. The car gets tense. I don’t think she appreciated my response.

When I hang up the phone, she lifts her head from my shoulder and opens her mouth in protest. “Adom, you couldn’t just let me have my moment a minute ago? Why did you have to ruin it with the statement, we are still just friends.”

“Would you rather I lie?”

I hated to ruin her moment, but Maya and I must remain clear headed. Romantic notions will ruin this, and she’ll never complete her healing. Instead she’ll suffer a broken heart.

She rolls her eyes and sighs. “Well, you’re right about one thing. I can’t stand liars. Let’s just go to Mawuli’s shop to pick a gown and go home.” She moves back to her side of the car. She’s mad at me. She’ll get over it.

“Actually, Mawuli is going to meet us at the palace. She has to dress other dignitaries there tonight.” Maya’s eyes light up at the mention of the palace. She has been itching to visit. Hopefully, this will put me back on the road to her good graces.

Once inside the palace, the stylist Mawuli brings out a rack of dresses. Maya picks a red silk organza ball gown designed by Valentino. The dress has a simple strapless sweetheart neckline with a full ball gown skirt. Against her chocolate skin, it’s a work of art. I imagine her neckline with the diamond necklaces she bought and know she will stun the crowd tonight.

We take dinner at the palace because Maya loves the idea. Kofi and Ella are at their home Bonbiri, so we have the dining room to ourselves. Suddenly I’m grateful for my royal privileges. I ask Maya if she would like for me to send for her things and we can dress here, but she declines. “Too many people will see me before the event if I dress here. I need privacy!” I chuckle and agree. Maya loves an entrance.

When we make it home, the hairstylists and makeup artists whisk Maya away to begin preparations for the evening. I think she was happy for the distance from me. No matter. She can’t stay mad at me forever. Tonight will be a fairy tale for her. As I walk up the stairs toward my dressing room, I hear my mother cackling on the phone, and I remember she still has to be dealt with. She needs to be gone before Maya and I return tonight.

I stop in front of her door. I take a deep breath, knock on the door, and enter. Now is as good a time as any to tell the woman who birthed me to get out of my house once and for all.

Chapter Nine

Party

Maya

These stylists are amazing. Either they are miracle workers, or the 36 hours I have spent in Adom’s care has resurrected me. I look like a full-on princess; soft ebony curls crown my face and hang past my shoulders. The stunning diamond necklaces highlight the amazing cleavage created by the sweetheart neckline that adorns my dress. Its scarlet red color pops off my dark skin. My shoulders and chest are scented with rose gold powder and the makeup artist insisted I go with smooth nude lipstick and smoky eyes. I had my doubts, but taken all together, the look works. I’m ready to meet my prince. I hope he’s ready to become one. We spend so much time talking about my problems that we never talk about why he’s here. Somehow, I think this is by design.

Adom always keeps his cards close to the chest. No matter how close you are to him, he controls the flow of information so that it only moves one way—toward him. I will not fool myself into thinking the sexual moments we share change any of that. Adom goes through sex partners like he goes through Armani suits. I hope our friendship survives my “rehabilitation.” Right now, that’s all I can expect. The question is,do I want more?

As I descend the stairs, I catch the back of Adom’s mother silently walking out the front door. A servant is carrying her bags behind her.Why is she leaving?I am halfway down the stairs when I hear the front door slam. As Adom turns from the door, we lock eyes. His entire face lights up and he relaxes. He comes to the bottom of the stairs and leans against the banister grinning. When I reach the bottom, he reaches out and I take his hand.

“Adom Annan, I do not think I’ve ever seen so many of your teeth at one time,” I tease.

He takes me into his arms and gives my body a bit of a swing before setting me back on my feet. “Will you dance with me, right now, before we leave? I want the most beautiful girl in the world to myself before I have to share you with the jackals at the benefit.”

I tap my cheek and roll my eyes up to feign deep thought. “I will if you tell me why your mother just left this house in such a huff.”

His countenance falls. “Why are you trying to ruin a perfectly good moment by bringing her up? We talked. It did not go well. She left. That is all you need to know.”

I give him a side-eye and move closer into his arms. “I’m not one to ruin a perfect moment, so you’re off the hook…for now. What shall we dance to?”

Adom pulls out his phone. “Siri, play ‘Insecure’ by Sauti Sol.”

Guitar strings accompanied by the smooth voice of an African singer put my hips under their spell. The words talk of lovers who are both anxious about different aspects of themselves, but together they are able to deal with the insecurity. Somehow the music fills me with confidence as I dance in Adom’s arms.How is he able to pick the exact song I need to hear before facing my friends and the public?I’m calm. He calms me.I think I love him.

When the song is over, the disappointment is clear on his face. “Come, before I change my mind and give you endless orgasms of pleasure instead of going to this boring benefit.”

He places his hand at the small of my back and guides me toward the front door. “Is there not a way we can accomplish both?”

He turns his head. “Both of what?”

“Going to this benefit and giving me endless orgasms.”

His burst of laughter is genuine. “You naughty girl! Yes, if my princess wants endless pleasure, she shall have it.” He leans in closer to me and squeezes my ass. “Except you won’t know when the orgasms will come. My goal is to make you come all night long and chase away any shake, chill, or other blasted withdrawal symptom that dare show up tonight.”

My thighs clench together tightly, and for a moment, I swear I’ll come from his words alone. I look ahead with a sly smile. We make it to the limo, and before we are five minutes down the road, his fingers are under my dress giving me my first orgasm of the night.

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